National tourism indicators, first quarter 2022
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Released: 2022-07-06
$15.7 billion
First quarter 2022
1.3% 
(quarterly change)
$13.5 billion
First quarter 2022
2.9%
(quarterly change)
$2.2 billion
First quarter 2022
-6.9% 
(quarterly change)
1.3%
First quarter 2022
560,500
First quarter 2022
0.8%
(quarterly change)
Tourism spending in Canada grew 1.3% in the first quarter of 2022, a fourth consecutive quarterly increase. Tourism gross domestic product (GDP) (+0.9%) and jobs attributable to tourism (+0.8%) also rose in the first quarter.
Tourism spending in Canada increased 50.7% over the last four quarters but was 34.2% below the pre-pandemic levels of the fourth quarter of 2019.
Growth in the first quarter of 2022 was driven by an increase in tourism spending by Canadians in Canada (+2.9%). Tourism spending by international visitors fell 6.9%, as overnight travel to Canada declined in the first quarter following a large increase in the fourth quarter of 2021.
New travel restrictions were set in late 2021 in response to COVID-19's Omicron variant. Phased easing and lifting of these restrictions did not come into effect until February 28. As of that date, travellers arriving to Canada from any country who qualified as fully vaccinated were being randomly selected for arrival testing and were not required to quarantine while awaiting their test results. Furthermore, travellers would then have the option of using a COVID-19 rapid antigen test result or a molecular test result to meet pre-entry requirements. Recommendations to avoid non-essential travel were also lifted on that date.
Chart 1
Tourism spending increases
Tourism GDP grew 0.9% in the first quarter of 2022, following an 11.9% increase in the fourth quarter of 2021. Transportation services (+2.9%) were the greatest contributor to the growth in tourism GDP. Despite this increase, tourism GDP was 34.2% below its pre-pandemic level. With economy-wide GDP up 0.8% in the first quarter of 2022, tourism's share of GDP remained the same as the fourth quarter of 2021, at 1.3%.
Employment attributable to tourism rose in the first quarter of 2022, up 0.8%, following a 4.8% increase in the fourth quarter of 2021. Travel services (+10.2%), non-tourism industries (+1.3%) and air transportation services (+2.6%) were the largest contributors to the first quarter's growth.
Chart 2
Tourism gross domestic product and jobs attributable to tourism rise
Tourism spending in Canada by Canadians increases
Tourism spending in Canada by Canadians increased 2.9% in the first quarter of 2022. Increased spending on passenger air transport (+10.5%) and pre-trip expenses (+6.0%), such as recreational vehicles, pleasure crafts and camping equipment, were the main contributors. Tourism spending in Canada by Canadians accounted for 85.8% of total tourism spending in the first quarter of 2022, up slightly from the fourth quarter of 2021 (84.5%).
Spending by international visitors decreases
Tourism spending by international visitors fell 6.9% in the first quarter of 2022, following a 116.4% increase in the fourth quarter of 2021. Passenger air transport (-11.4%) followed by accommodation services (-4.8%) and non-tourism products (-8.5%) were the main contributors to the quarter's decline.
Chart 3
Share of tourism spending by international visitors decreases
Sustainable development goals
On January 1, 2016, the world officially began implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations' transformative plan of action that addresses urgent global challenges over the next 15 years. The plan is based on 17 specific sustainable development goals.
The national tourism indicators are an example of how Statistics Canada supports the reporting on the global goals for sustainable development. This release will be used in helping to measure the following goal:
Note to readers
Growth rates for tourism spending and gross domestic product (GDP) are expressed in real terms (that is, adjusted for price changes), using reference year 2012, as well as adjusted for seasonal variations, unless otherwise indicated.
Employment data are also seasonally adjusted.
Tourism's share of economy-wide employment is calculated using seasonally adjusted values.
For information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.
Associated percentage changes are presented at quarterly rates unless otherwise noted.
Economy-wide GDP is obtained from table 36-10-0104-01.
Non-tourism industries, also referred to as other industries, are industries that would continue to exist in the absence of tourism. For example, the crop production and petroleum refineries industries produce products purchased by tourists. However, neither would cease to exist in the absence of tourism. Tourism GDP takes into account the production of these products purchased by tourists.
Non tourism products, also referred to as other products, are products for which a significant part of its total demand in Canada does not come from visitors, such as groceries, clothing and alcohol bought in stores.
With the first quarter of 2022 release of the national tourism indicators, all data from the first quarter of 2021 to the fourth quarter of 2021 has been revised.
Revisions over the 2020 to 2021 period are expected to be higher than normal due to the volatile economic situation, particularly for the tourism sector.
The national tourism indicators are funded by Destination Canada.
Next release
Data on the national tourism indicators for the second quarter of 2022 will be released on September 28, 2022.
Products
The data visualization product "Provincial and Territorial Tourism Satellite Account," which is part of Statistics Canada – Data Visualization Products (71-607-X), is available.
The Economic accounts statistics portal, accessible from the Subjects module of the Statistics Canada website, features an up-to-date portrait of national and provincial economies and their structure.
The Latest Developments in the Canadian Economic Accounts (13-605-X) is available.
The User Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts (13-606-G) is available.
The Methodological Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts (13-607-X) is available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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